Mark Foley (born on September 8, 1954) is a liberal Republican who served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1995 to 2006. Before serving in the House, Foley was a member of the Lake Worth City Council, Florida House of Representatives, and Florida State Senate. As a Congressman, Foley served on the House Ways and Means Committee as well as chairing the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children. He also played a role in the recount of the Florida ballots in the 2000 presidential election, challenging that the media's work would only "undermine the legitimacy of the presidency." [1]

Foley resigned from the House of Representatives on September 26, 2006 after allegations that he had sent sexually suggestive emails and IM conversations to underaged male Senate Pages. As of April 2007 he remains "under investigation" regarding his communications with the pages, according to Florida and FBI officials, but no charges filed.[2] After Foley's resignation, his lawyer said that Foley had been abused by a priest as a boy, and that his client was entering a rehabilitation center for alcoholism. [3]